The former WBO world champion has fallen to seventh in the ratings produced by the self-proclaimed 'Bible of Boxing', with Britons Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury filling the top two spots, followed by American Deontay Wilder.

Cuban Luis Ortiz, American Dillian Whyte and Russian Alexander Povetkin round out the top six, with Parker next.

"If that's how they rank it, then of course, I don't have much to say about that," Parker told RadioLIVE's Sunday Sport. "It's highly respected.

Parker will fight Flores at Christchurch's Horncastle Arena on December 15 in what will be his first fight in New Zealand since May 2017.

The 26-year-old South Aucklander has endured a challenging year, losing his WBO title to Anthony Joshua in April in Cardiff, and then losing in his next bout to fellow British heavyweight Dillian Whyte in July in London.

The back-to-back defeats have seen Parker slip down the rankings, and he will need to claim some emphatic victories by knockout if he wants to contend for a heavyweight belt once more.

The 28-year-old Flores has won 15 of his 17 fights through knockout with his only defeat coming at the hands of former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin in a North American Boxing Association title fight in 2014.

Martin's victory set up a successful tilt at the IBF crown vacated by Tyson Fury, and a subsequent unification date with Anthony Joshua.

Parker will fight Flores at Horncastle Arena on December 15th having lost his past two fights.

After winning his first 24 professional bouts and claiming the WBO world title in the process, Parker has lost his last two contests - leaving some doubting whether he belongs with the elite heavyweights.

But the 26-year-old insisted he's using those criticisms to drive him on what he hopes will be a path back to the belt.

"I hear the doubters all the time, for us we use it as something to give us drive, Parker said on Thursday after confirming his return to the ring in Christchurch on December 15.

Parker's former promoter Dean Lonergan told RadioLIVE last week that fighting Hunt would be the perfect comeback fight for the former WBO heavyweight champion - who has lost his previous two bouts.

The 26-year-old lost to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte respectively

Hunt - who has one fight remaining on his UFC contract - has lost three of his last four fights inside the Octagon, but more importantly has never fought a professional boxing fight in a 19-year combat sports career.

Home favourite Whyte dropped his opponent twice but had to climb off the canvas himself in the 12th round, forcing him to hold on for the final bell to secure a unanimous points decision in a pulsating main event at the O2 in London on Saturday.

However, while all three judges were in agreement over the winner, scores of 113-112, 115-110 and 114-111 demonstrated the close nature of the bout.